The pre-primary section of Valayanchirangara Government Lower Primary School, near Perumbavoor, is special for more reason than one. The section has a larger number of students when compared to its counterparts in the State.
It also has the distinction of having developed its own textbooks. To crown it all, the textbooks have been illustrated by one of its alumni, 12-year-old Aiswarya Laxmi.
Control over syllabus
The teachers have full control over the syllabus as it has been developed by them, giving them a sense of satisfaction and pride, says Parent-Teacher Association (PTA) president and eduction consultant Binoy Peter.
He says pre-primary schools have no prescribed texts in Kerala.
The schools depend on privately printed texts, which may not always suit their situation. The books are expensive and mostly promote rote learning.
It was initially expected that the government would come out with some textbooks but as the waiting got long, the teachers and the school management went ahead and came up with their own books, Mr. Peter adds.
A committee was formed, research was done and content development workshops were held. An independent assessment of the pre-primary students showed that they have achieved their learning goals, he says.
Familiar setting
The illustrations in the textbooks are of familiar places and activities for the children, Mr. Peter adds. Laxmi, who hails from the same area, is able to communicate effectively with the children through her works.
Laxmi’s father T.G. Suresh Babu says his daughter has won several prizes in painting from a young age, and studied at the Valayanchirangara school for two years. The school has 616 students in the pre-primary to Class 4 section.
